The City of Newark is hoping a test project of free parking over the next month helps spur off-semester traffic back to Main Street.

Newark City Council voted 4-0 (three absent) to approve having free parking on Sundays, Mondays, and Tuesdays from December 16, 2024 to January 20, 2025.

Deputy Mayor Travis McDermott chose that over three other options, one of which would have had the free parking on Saturdays, Sundays, and then Monday, December 23.

"That's what the majority of restaurant owners have said to me, but not all of them, some of them have said they want the weekends free. I honestly don't know what the best answer is to get the most people downtown to support the businesses."

Newark Planning and Development Director Renee Bensley recommended going with Sunday and Monday, or Sunday-Tuesday, because the city already offers free parking on Sundays prior to 1 p.m., largely due to the amount of churches on and near Main Street.

"We are going to rely on businesses and ask about foot traffic and revenue increases, what kind of feedback they're getting if there's any issues people are bringing to them."

One concern Bensley offered to Council was whether the free parking spots could be soaked up not by customers, but by the businesses, themselves.

"Are your customers still able to find parking? One of my concerns is with the number of construction projects going on on Main Street along with employees, are they just going to part in city parking for free, and then there's no spaces for customers."

Newark estimates the free parking plan will actually generate an additional $18,631 in revenue compared to last year, when the city had been slashing parking rates in half.

Parking will remain at their base rates, $2/hour off-street, and $2.25/hour on-streets, Wednesdays-Saturdays, with the exceptions of city holidays Christmas Eve, Christmas, New Year's Day, and Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

Newark City Council also considered the following free parking days, along with their projected revenue increases.

The pilot is a one-year trial period, so Newark would need to approve a system to set up discounts for the 2025 Holiday Season.

The free parking does not extend to University of Delaware lots, including the Trabant Center located across from the Deer Park.

The University of Delaware generally charges more than the City of Newark, with $3.00 for the first hour and $5.00 for up to 2 hours.